Add one of these text alternatives to all digital images to increase digital accessibility:

• Alt-text (alternative text): A brief description to help visualize an image
• Aria labels (Accessible Rich Internet Applications): A short string of text to indicate navigation, forms, sections and other structural landmarks
• Longdesc (long description): A long-form description of a complex image in a hyperlinked file

Since computers and screen readers cannot analyze an image and determine what the image presents, all images must include alt-text.

• Alt-text (or alt tag) provides copy as an alternative to non-text digital content.
• Alt-text is displayed in place of the image if the file is not loaded or the user has chosen not to view images.
• Alt-text provides a semantic meaning and description to images which can be read by search engines or be used to later determine the content of the image from page context alone.

• Alt-text can be presented in two ways:
• Within the alt attribute of the IMG element
• Within the context or surroundings of the image itself

• Alt-text should:
• Be accurate and equivalent in presenting the same content and function of the image.
• Be succinct. The content and function should be presented as concisely as appropriate. Typically, this would require no more than a few words. However, a short sentence or two may be needed on occasion.
• Not be redundant or provide the same information as text within the context of the image.
• Not use the phrases “Image of…” or “Graphic of…” Simply state what the image is. For example, a headshot of Jim Herbert would be presented in this way: alt="Jim Herbert, Founder and Executive Chairman."

• Images that DO NOT convey content, are decorative or contain content that is already conveyed in text should be given null alt-text (alt="") unless specified.

Complex images, such as charts and graphs, should have both alt-text and longdesc.

• If the text equivalent cannot be presented succinctly in an alt-text, a link and/or longdesc attribute that references a separate page with longer descriptive copy can be provided.
• Image alt-text should describe the general contents of the image.
• A link can be adjacent to the image or the image itself can be something linked to the longdesc page.
• The longdesc attribute is applied to IMG elements and is designed to point to either an IDREF (a named anchor on the same page such as a skipnav link) or an absolute URL. For example:

<img src="path_to_image.png" alt="succinct text" longdesc="#named_anchor_on_the_same page"><br><br><img src="path_to_image.png" alt="succinct text" longdesc="#named_anchor_on_the_same page">

Functional images provide content and serve important functions.

• When the image only contains text, the text being displayed can usually be used as alt-text.
• Aria labels are used to indicate navigation, forms, sections and other structural landmarks. Incorporating aria labels into Sitecore requires HTML.

• The aria-label="descriptive text" needs to be typed into the HTML for the copy in question and placed immediately following the complete href="" code.

Text alternatives for specific image applications

• The alt-text for all corporate headshots should be the first name and last name of the person.

• Form Image Buttons provide a more visually appealing or smaller version of standard form buttons and must have alt-text that describes the function of the button. For example: “Search,” “Submit,” “Register,” “Learn more,” etc.

For instance, <input type="image" alt="Learn More"> might be appropriate for an image button on a site search form.

• For Client-side Image Maps, the main image must have alt-text that presents any content provided with the image but that is not presented with any Image Map Hotspots.
• For example, a map of California that has hotspots for each region may have the alt-text: “Regions of California.” If the main image does not convey content but serves as a container for hotspots (e.g., a navigation bar), then alt="" is appropriate. Each image hotspot (e.g., area element) must have an equivalent alt attribute (alt-text) that describes the function of the hotspot.

• Server-side Image Maps (maps hosted on a third-party server) should NOT be used because they cannot be given alt-text and therefore are not keyboard accessible.

• The alt-text for First Republic Bank logos should be alt="First Republic Bank" and NOT identifying the logo as a logo (alt="First Republic Bank logo").

For AA level of compliance, each video must include two of these three elements:

• A descriptive transcript
• Closed-captioning
• A descriptive audio track

Descriptive transcripts are simple text files that provide the user an equivalent to what is presented.

• Descriptive transcripts must include all the words spoken plus a description of all important items heard, such as sound effects, in the recording.